A party may require the clerk to cause the testimony to be taken down in writing and this transcript shall serve as the statement of facts of the case. The parties may agree to a narrative of the facts in accordance with the provisions of Article 2131.
Art. 2130.Record On Appeal; Statement of Facts
Book III. Proceedings in Appellate Courts · Title I. Appellate Procedure · Chapter 2. Procedure For Appealing · Amendment history unavailable · Last verified July 30, 2026
In one sentenceArticle 2130 lets a party require the clerk to have trial testimony taken down in writing, with that transcript then serving as the case's statement of facts, or lets the parties agree instead to a narrative of facts under Article 2131.
Full Text of Art. 2130
Plain-English Summary
An appellate court reviewing a case on paper needs a reliable account of what the evidence and testimony showed at trial. Louisiana calls that account the statement of facts, and the most direct version of it is a verbatim transcript of the testimony given.
Article 2130 lets any party require the clerk to have the testimony taken down in writing, meaning recorded and transcribed. Once that happens, the resulting transcript itself serves as the statement of facts for the appeal, with no separate summary document required.
Not every proceeding produces a stenographic record, whether because none was taken or the parties chose not to have it transcribed. Article 2130 points to the fallback for that situation: the parties may agree instead to a narrative of facts prepared under Article 2131, which supplies its own procedure for putting together an account of the evidence when no transcript exists.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a statement of facts in a Louisiana appeal?
An account of what the evidence and testimony showed at trial, provided to the appellate court so it can review the case; a verbatim transcript is the most direct form it takes.
Can I require the court reporter to transcribe the trial testimony?
Yes. Article 2130 lets a party require the clerk to have the testimony taken down in writing, and that transcript then serves as the statement of facts.
What if the testimony was not taken down in writing at trial?
The parties may agree to a narrative of facts under Article 2131 instead of a transcript.
Is a separate statement of facts document needed if a full transcript exists?
No. The transcript itself functions as the statement of facts once the testimony has been taken down in writing.
Source & verification. Article text is reproduced verbatim from
the Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure (legis.la.gov). Enacted by the Louisiana Legislature.
Last verified July 30, 2026.
· Official source
Also known as: statement of facts Louisiana appealArticle 2130 Louisianatranscript of testimony appeal Louisiananarrative of facts Louisianarequiring testimony taken down in writing